Things are winding to a close with the transition from the old Los Gatos Public Library to the newly constructed one. If you drive over to the area, you'll see the construction zone taping and fences still in place ("hard hat area" advisories present but people wandering about without hard hats). Inside, the lights are on and people are working hard to set the books into place for the grand opening, which will be February 11th, 2012, at 10am and with events continuing through the weekend.
In the past, home buyers wanting to know about the elementary, middle and high schools and their boundaries had to visit a couple of sites to track down the attendance area (or in some cases, phone the district) and do a separate search to find out the API scores for each one. Particularly for folks interested in purchasing a house, townhouse or condo in Los Gatos, the school boundaries can be confusing and it may be unclear whether the property is in the Los Gatos Union School District, the Union School District, the Campbell Union High School District etc.
No more - enter SchoolAndHousing.com, a new website that mashes up the school boundaries and API scores so you only need to visit this one website, enter an address and get the information. Alternatively, you can search listed homes for sale (where the seller and broker have permitted IDX searches on non-MLS websites) either by API score or by school boundary. This is primarily for Silicon Valley and areas nearby, but it's growing.
Check it out - play with the various features - you don't have to register and you don't have to pay to use it.
They are adding more features to the site and improving it all the time and recently have included private schools (sorry, no scores - there isn't an easy way to score them), daycare etc. SchoolAndHousing also has their own scoring system, on a scale of 1 to 10, to locate a residence. Another neat feature they've added recently is a "compare houses" page too. Pull it up on your cell or mobile device and learn about the schools for a house you're at right then and there with the "current location" button after you select public schools (this works for most cell phones). Right now the listings feed comes from Oodle.com but it's hoped to pull directly from our MLS soon.
Disclaimer: I like this site well enough that I'm advertising for several zip codes, which is something I seldom do as most of my web traffic is organic, meaning it's generated not by ads but by the content I write myself on my various blogs and websites.
The Los Gatos Community Concert Association is partway through its 64th season, again bringing delightful music to our town from fall through spring. One concert was presented in late October but three more are still ahead:
January 22nd, Hector Olivera, Organist
March 25,Evan Marshall, Mandolinist
April 23, Chris Burton Jacome Ensemble, Flamenco Guitarist
All performances are at Los Gatos High School. Fore more info on musicians, times, ticket pricing, discounts for seniors and students, as well as subscription pricing, please see the LGCCA website.
How are housing sales in Los Gatos? Let's have a look - info care of MLSListings.com.The numbers below are for appx the last year, not just last month.
Average Days on Market & Sale to List Price Ratio in Los Gatos
Date is between Jan 2011 and Dec 2011
Property Sub Class is 'Single Family Residential'
Results calculated from approximately 370 listings
Los Gatos listings by price range:
Los Gatos home sales by price range
The Real Estate Report with December's sales stats will be updated in a few days....
November 2011 sales stats for houses and duet homes from my REReport (click for more info and full report):
Sales fell 8.7% from the month before, and were up 10.5% year-over-year. Prices improved in Nov 2011 with the median price climbing 5.6% from the previous month, up 6.5% compared to last year. The average price rose 27.6%, a yearly gain of 43.2%. Inventory fell 13.3% from last month, and was down 24.4% year-over-year.
Trends At a Glance
Nov 2011
Previous Month
Year-over Year
Median Price
$1,225,000
$1,160,000 (+5.6%)
$1,150,000 (+6.5%)
Average Price
$1,859,980
$1,458,140 (+27.6%)
$1,299,320 (+43.2%)
No. of Sales
21
23 (-8.7%)
19 (+10.5%)
Pending Properties
46
55 (-16.4%)
48 (-4.2%)
Active
84
95 (-11.6%)
124 (-32.3%)
Sale vs. List Price
95.6%
96.5% (-0.9%)
94.5% (+1.2%)
Days on Market
51
49 (+4.2%)
75 (-31.9%)
For Los Gatos condominiums and townhomes, sales fell 50% from the month before, and were down 37.5% year-over-year. Prices slipped in Nov 2011 with the median price dipping 27.1% from the previous month, down 19.5% compared to last year. The average price fell 28.7%, a yearly loss of 11%. Inventory fell 3.7% from last month, and was up 8.3% year-over-year.
Trends At a Glance
Nov 2011
Previous Month
Year-over Year
Median Price
$450,000
$617,500 (-27.1%)
$559,000 (-19.5%)
Average Price
$470,000
$659,150 (-28.7%)
$527,988 (-11.0%)
No. of Sales
5
10 (-50.0%)
8 (-37.5%)
Pending Properties
13
12 (+8.3%)
10 (+30.0%)
Active
39
42 (-7.1%)
38 (+2.6%)
Sale vs. List Price
98.1%
98.1% (-0.1%)
99.0% (-0.9%)
Days on Market
67
116 (-41.9%)
38 (+78.0%)
Very, very few of the available Los Gatos real estate consists of distressed properties (short sales, REOs) - depending on the area and price point, there could be more or less, but overall right now it's about 10% of the market.
Homes in the Los Gatos Mountains continue to see a tough buyers' market but prices are rising, at least. Sales fell 40% from the month before, and were the same as one year ago. Prices improved in Nov 2011 with the median price climbing 31.8% from the previous month, up 57.6% compared to last year. The average price rose 43.3%, a yearly gain of 60.5%. Inventory fell 20.5% from last month, and was down 37.5% year-over-year.
There is not much info on this popular lights festival event just yet but here's some basic info on what to expect (subject to change when the Santa Clara County Parks Dept updates their page for the 2011 show):
When: The Fantasy of Lights runs from November 25 to December 31, 2011, 6 - 10pm nightly.
Where: Vasona Lake County Park, 333 Blossom Hill Road (near University Avenue), Los Gatos
How much: The cost varies. For the best deal, get early bird tickets!
$10- per Vehicle (up to 9 guests) Friday, Nov. 25 through Thursday, Dec. 8 ONLY
$15- per Vehicle starting Friday, December 9
$25- per Vehicle 10-25 guests (no discounts)
$50- Commercial buses (no discounts)
Please visit Live in Los Gatos for year round events, neighborhood information, photos around the town, interesting real estate market data, haunted places and even some historical tidbits.
Los Gatos is a wonderful place to visit during the holidays, but it's also a great place to live year round! If you are interested in buying a home in Los Gatos (or selling one), please contact me, Mary Pope-Handy. I'm both a Realtor in town and a resident myself, working full time in helping nice folks to buy & sell homes here and throughout the west valley.
Jim and I got there at around 5 and stayed for about an hour, checking out the very cool decor, trying the free appetizers (I loved the pulled pork - and normally this is a dish I don't even like!) and chatting with some friends we bumped into there. The mood was really wonderfully upbeat - it was like a reunion!
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Below - older updates on this ongoing story.
According to the Merc, The Cats is slated to open December 10, 2011. Check out the article, but do it soon - the SJ Mercury News tends to take its articles offline within about 2 weeks: http://www.mercurynews.com/los-gatos/ci_19335922
Many thanks to J.B. Hanselman, who commented on this post to alert us to the imminent reopening of the beloved Cats Restaurant! There's a new website, which says they are reopening the summer of 2011. You can check it out and read up on it there:
The Cats Restaurant in Los Gatos appears to have work going on, and there are high hopes that it will open again in spring, according to an article in the Los Gatos Weekly Times and San Jose Mercury News.
About four years ago, The historic Cats Restaurant in Los Gatos quickly and quietly closed without much warning (see article in the Los Gatos Observer). One of the area's older buildings, it was constructed as a stage coach stop in the late 1800s, possibly around 1896.
In 2008 I was near the tavern, photographing Leo and Leona at the entrance to Poet's Canyon just steps away, and popped by old building to see what was going on with it.
To my surprise, it appeared that The Cats was being made ready to reopen. There were several trucks and workers in view and the parking lot sported new blacktop and parking stripes.
I could not find any news about a reopening, and apparently there were issues with permits.
The Cats has served many functions over the years and is an area landmark. It would be great to see it open again.
The Cats Restaurant is located at 17533 Santa Cruz Highway, just past the downtown entrance to the freeway from South Santa Cruz Avenue.
Leo and Leona can be seen from this freeway exit too. For more on the two concrete cats, please visit this earlier post: How did Los Gatos get its cat logo?
Silicon Valley holiday shoppers will be happy to know that the time-limited parking lots in downtown Los Gatos are enjoying extended times (4 hours rather than 3) and valet parking to make the excursion even more fun. The normal schedule returns on January 2, 2012. (The lots without time limits will remain that way too.)
Enter the valet lot at Elm Street between N. Santa Cruz Avenue and University Avenue and don't worry about how long you park (as long as you make arrangements for your keys if you plan to stay past 9 PM when the valets go off duty).
These will both make it more enjoyable to shop, browse, and dine in downtown Los Gatos. Hope to see you there - Happy Holidays!
A few months ago I worked with a wonderful couple on their purchase of a home in west Los Gatos on Mistletoe Road (near Old Adobe Road). Last week I stopped by to visit and see some of the work they are doing & to catch up. The property has beautiful views and I took a photo from one vantage that I thought was really lovely with some of the fall colors showing in the forground.
Apparently it was even more "firey" a couple of weeks back, before Thanksgiving.
This view, by the way, is looking west - downtown Los Gatos would be off to the left side, Saratoga almost straight ahead and San Francisco off to the right.
Testarossa Winery is hosting a holiday celebration at its tasting room in Los Gatos this Sunday, December 11th, from 12 noon to 4pm. The event includes music and an expanded pour. Reservations are not required. The wine tasting room is located at 300-A College Avenue, Los Gatos.
December is here, and with it are all the holiday wonders in Los Gatos. Lots is happening in and around our quaint corner of Silicon Valley. Here's the rundown on carriage rides, the festival of lights, the tree lighting ceremony, the Los Gatos holiday parade, and more:
Los Gatos Holiday Events by date:
Friday, Dec 2 4pm Tree lighting ceremony festivities begin - Town Park Plaza
Friday, Dec 2 6pm Santa arrives, tree is lit - Town Park Plaza
Saturday, Dec 3 11am Holiday Parade begins - Main & North Santa Cruz Avenues Sunday
Sunday Dec. 4, 11am - 3pm - Photos with Santa (both kids AND pets) Bring your own camera, no fee!
Saturday, Dec 10 - Santa Paws at Old Town - 1-4pm, photos of pets with Santa $20 (benefits the Humane Society)
Sunday, Dec. 11, 12 - 4 Chanukah Palooza - Jewish Community Center
Sunday, Dec. 11 11-3 Photos with Santa (kids only, not pets) Bring your own camera, no fee!
Sunday, Dec. 18, 11-3 Photos with Santa (kids only, not pets) Bring own camera, no fee!
Ongoing Holiday Events in Los Gatos:
Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake County Park - This is the 13th anniversary of the immensely popular drive-through event . It runs 6pm to 10pm every night through Dec 31st. For more info, see Vasona Lake County Park's Fantasy of Lights (post). Want more? Visit the county parks website, ParkHere.org.
Carriage Rides in downtown Los Gatos - These begin Friday December 2nd and happen on various days through December until the Friday the 23rd. Please see the Los Gatos Chamber's website for dates, times, prices and to make reservations.
Santa in Los Gatos: Sundays 11am-3pm, December 5th, 12th and 19th at Town Plaza Park. Also - Dec 5 is Santa "Paws" Day when pooches are also welcome. Bring your camera and take pics of your little ones with the Big Guy in Red. No cost but suggested donation of $5 per kid (or pet). These events are courtesy of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Rec Dept: www.lgsrecreatoin.org.
Live music at Old Town on Saturdays from 12 noon - 3pm throughout December.
Festival of Trees at King's Court Shopping Center: Dec 10 - 20, vote for your favorite Christmas tree! See more details on the kickoff and contest on the Chamber of Commerce's events for December page.
A blog about Los Gatos real estate, homes, houses, condos, townhomes, housing market, neightborhoods, history, events, businesses, parks, schools, photos, issues, and lifestyle by Mary Pope-Handy, town resident, enthusiast and Realtor.
Mary Pope-Handy
Realtor, CRS, ABR, E-Pro
Sereno Group Real Estate
214 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road Los Gatos, CA 95030
DRE # 01153805
408 204-7673
Things are winding to a close with the transition from the old Los Gatos Public Library to the newly constructed one. If you drive over to the area, you'll see the construction zone taping and fences still in place ("hard hat area" advisories present but people wandering about without hard hats). Inside, the lights are on and people are working hard to set the books into place for the grand opening, which will be February 11th, 2012, at 10am and with events continuing through the weekend.
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